Defining how serotonin regulates gut motility

本研究旨在加深对胃肠生理学的认识，并揭示主要的胃肠信号分子5-羟色胺调节肠道蠕动的机制。我们身体中几乎所有的血清素都是在胃肠道中产生的，它控制着许多功能，包括我们的肠壁在消化过程中如何收缩。适当控制肠道蠕动和物质通过肠道的转运对我们的健康很重要。该项目希望确定血清素如何控制腹泻，这种血清素在肠道中来自何处，血清素如何与我们胃肠道中的神经系统通信，以及合成肠道血清素的细胞如何对收缩做出反应以触发血清素的分泌。

This project aims to deepen knowledge of gastrointestinal physiology, and reveal the mechanisms by which the major gastrointestinal signalling molecule, serotonin, regulates gut peristalsis. Almost all of the serotonin in our body is made in the gastrointestinal tract where it controls many functions, including how our gut wall contracts during peristalsis. Proper control of gut peristalsis and the transit of material through our bowel is important for our health. This project expects to define how serotonin controls peristalsis, where in the bowel this serotonin comes from, how serotonin communicates with the nervous system in our gastrointestinal tract, and how the cells that synthesise gut serotonin respond to contraction to trigger the secretion of serotonin.